How to uninstall Android from your TouchPad

Last week we showed you how to install CyanogenMod 9 Android on your TouchPad. So maybe you've made that half-jump, or maybe you're sitting on the fence, but you want to know how to undo it. You don't like Android, or you don't like the space it takes up. That's cool, we get it. So, just as we put up that guide in the spirit of letting you do what you want to do with your TouchPad, we're going to keep helping you out and show you how to eradicate Android from your device.

Preparation

If you're reading this guide, chances are you've already looked at what you'll need to install Android 4.0 through the CyanogenMod 9 project. The good news here is that the uninstall process works in a similar manner using almost the same toolset. There's just one extra thing that you'll need to download, and it's the ACME Uninstaller.

Once the file is downloaded you will need to unzip it to the proper location much like you did with the ACME Installer when you installed CM9. This can be accomplished by taking the ACME Uninstaller file and unzipping it (if zipped) to where Novacom is installed. Windows users can expect to find Novacom under C:\Program Files\Palm, Inc or C:\Program Files\HP webOS. Mac users can get to where they need to go by opening Finer's Go menu, selecting Go To Folder… and entering /opt/nova/bin. Once you're in the appropriate folder you should see files/folders named nocavom and novacomd (and possibly others). Copy the unzipped ACMEUninstaller file into this folder.

Uninstalling

With the ACME Uninstaller in place, all that is left to do is wipe Android from your TouchPad. This process is almost identical to the same way you installed Android on your device, so this should all seem very familiar. The first step is to put your TouchPad into Recovery Mode. To do this, shut down the TouchPad (hold down the power button and select Shut Down) and restart it while holding down the power and volume up buttons until the USB symbol appears on the TouchPad's screen. Plug your USB cable into the TouchPad and your computer. If your computer needs to install the proper drivers, it'll say so (it shouldn't take much longer than a minute or two to install the drivers).

Now it's time to jump into Command Prompt or Terminal on your computer.

A new line will appear with "bin" inserted between your computer name and username. Type (sans quotes) "./novacom boot mem:// < ACMEUninstaller" and hit enter.

PC: Open Command Prompt by going to the Start Menu and typing "cmd" into the search box. Once the Command Prompt window is open, type (without quotes) "cd c:\Program Files\Palm, Inc" (substitute Palm, Inc for HP webOS if necessary) and hit enter.

A new line will appear with c:\Program Files\Palm, Inc and a blinking cursor. Type (sans quotes) "novacom.exe boot mem:// < ACMEUninstaller" and hit enter.

Everybody: Shortly after completing the uninstall command in terminal you will see the double penguin and a lot of lines of code racing across your TouchPad screen. As soon as that finishes your device should reboot to the familiar old HP logo that we have grown so accustomed to.

And done.

Where there were two there now is one. ACME Uninstaller has rid TouchPad of all remnants of Android and nobody is to know the wiser. If you want to be doubly sure that there is nothing left on your TouchPad you can feel free to run the webOS Doctor on your device but that should be unnecessary.